It's Never Too Late
by theinfamouscapegirl
Summary: NaruSasu angst fic, it's going nowhere, so I won't be finishing it. Please forgive the old and horrible writing, my art's better I swear.
1. Chapter 1

Sasuke was being moody. Well, moodier than usual, in Naruto's opinion. He asked Sakura about it, but she just dismissed him, saying, "If he's being moody, Naruto, it's _your _fault." And with that she slugged him and flounced off. But Naruto was not that easily cowed. Sasuke was always dissappearing at practice, and then returning a few minutes later. It was hard to catch him at it, but on occassion either Naruto or Sakura would notice, and Sasuke, being Sasuke, would say nothing about it.

Even though Sasuke was an annoying bastard, Naruto had a soft spot for him, and so he felt obligated to look into this strange behavior. It took a few months to manage it, and as the time passed, Sasuke's strange behavior increased. He started acting more reckless during missions, even getting hurt on occassion when he could easily have avoided it. It pissed Naruto off, did that bastard want to get himself _killed_?

In fact, that wasn't too far from the case. One day when Sasuke dissappeared a little longer than usual, Naruto managed to follow him while Sakura stood arguing with Ino, who had been passing by. He slipped in and out of the shadows of the trees, looking for a sign of Sasuke, when he suddenly came upon him. Naruto stood shocked behind a forked tree, looking out where the tree separated into two.

Sasuke sat on the ground a few feet from him, his back against another tree, cutting his forearm with a kunai knife. His arms, free now of the bandages or cloth Sasuke always kept them swathed in, were covered in scars and fresh cuts. Sasuke just sat there, unaware of Naruto, watching his arm bleed for a moment, before he grabbed the knife and slashed brutally at his already mutilated arm.

Naruto leapt out of his hiding place then, and snatched the knife out of Sasuke's hand. "Sasuke, you idiot!! What the _hell _do you think you're doing?!" Naruto screeched as he dropped to his knees and grabbed Sasuke's arm. It was obvious that Sasuke had been doing this for a while, his arm was criss-crossed in old white scars and newer red ones, along with bloody cuts.

Sasuke just sat there for a moment, his head hanging, as if he were too worn out to care what happened to him anymore. Naruto calmed down a little as he looked at his friend, who seemed so pathetic just now, that he didn't have the heart to keep yelling. Instead he clasped Sasuke's hands in his own, and waited for the dark haired boy to look up.

"Sasuke, why would you _do _this to yourself? You're bleeding all over. Why don't you come back to the village with me, and we'll get you cleaned up?" Naruto was getting close to panic as he said this, Sasuke was still sitting there, unresponsive. Sasuke shook his head when Naruto suggested going back to the village, and Naruto took that at as a good sign. Sasuke knew he was there, at least.

Sasuke was dimly aware of a pair of warm, soft hands holding his own. He gradually became aware that someone was suggesting they go back to the village. He couldn't seem to speak just yet, so he shook his head 'no'. The last thing he wanted was for everyone to know that he was different. Different in a way he doubted anyone else was. It was one thing to hurt yourself slightly to help regain your focus in the heat of battle, it was another to hurt yourself for no apparant reason.

Naruto was at a loss for what to do next. He didn't have any bandages on him at the moment, he had run out a few days before and hadn't gotten around to getting more. Sasuke wasn't bleeding badly enough to really need the bandages, but the sight of blood was bothering Naruto. Something inside him felt...twitchy. It didn't feel quite normal, and he got a feeling it might be because of the sight of blood. Or maybe it was because it was Sasuke's blood, and not his own? But he'd seen Sasuke bleed before, he'd been injured on plenty of missions, and Naruto had never had this feeling before. Whatever the feeling was, it made Naruto nervous.

Sasuke had finally become completely aware of his surroundings, and he was mortified that it had been Naruto who found him. If it had been Kakashi or Sakura, he would have known his secret was safe at least, but Naruto was _such _a loudmouth. How could he be sure that the damn social butterfly would keep his mouth shut? Still, at least he done the right thing, waited until Sasuke was aware, staying with him and holding his hands. It was kind of nice to have someone be there for you, though it wasn't something he could get used to. No, he would never let himself get used to such things again, it just hurt more when they were taken away.

Naruto sat still, waiting for Sasuke to say something, not sure what to do. He couldn't just leave him alone like this, but he was sure Sasuke would be pretty pissed off when he realized exactly just what was going on. It surprised him when Sasuke spoke, but he didn't say a word, just listened.

"Dobe, do you know why I do this to myself? I do it," Sasuke elaborated slowly, hoping Naruto would understand where he was coming from, "so I can _live_. It..." Sasuke stumbled, how to explain it? "It _centers _me. Do you get it?" Sasuke seriously doubted he did, judging from the puzzled and..._hurt _look on Naruto's face. What business did he have looking like that? It made Sasuke feel like hurting him, and it made him feel like crying. The feeling pissed him off. He hadn't cried since _that _night, he wasn't about to start now.

Naruto didn't realize what he was doing until it was too late. He pulled Sasuke's hands to his lips and kissed them. It broke his heart to see Sasuke driven to measures like this to survive. He nuzzled Sasuke's hands, still not realizing what he was doing, not believing that this was really happening. If this were real, Sasuke would have beaten him to a pulp by now, not just sat there, a tear running down his cheek. Naruto kissed away that tear, and was shocked when Sasuke laid his head on Naruto's shoulder, and let Naruto put his arms around him.

Sasuke was utterly defeated when Naruto kissed away that tear. There was no helping it, he just couldn't stand being alone anymore. He needed someone, and a small, denied and ignored part of his heart was glad it was Naruto. He hadn't wanted to live any longer, not alone, but he had never allowed himself to hope things would ever be otherwise. When a small part of his mind had whispered that Naruto would keep him company, that he didn't have to be lonely, Sasuke had ignored it. When his most cherished and denied hope was realized with that one small gesture, Sasuke felt as if thousands of angels had torn him apart.

Naruto held Sasuke as he wept on his shoulder. He wasn't sure why Sasuke was crying, but he had sense enough not to ask. Holding Sasuke close was a dream come true. He would never have admitted he liked the guy, much less admitted that he was interested in him as more than a friend. But a part of him knew, had always known, that his feelings for the class heartthrob were a bit different than his feelings for anyone else.

After a while Sasuke realized he was crying, and after a little longer he clamed down. It took him a moment to realize his arms were wrapped tightly around Naruto's shoulders, and that Naruto was stroking his hair and back in a soothing fashion. He didn't move for a few moments, he didn't want this to end. Then he pulled back, and gazed at Naruto for a moment. He was so cute, with those big blue eyes. None of thier other classmates had blue eyes. He wanted so desperately to tell Naruto how beautiful his eyes were. Instead Sasuke jerked away and sprinted home. He would never let himself get close to anyone, and he feared he was already too close to Naruto.

Naruto sat there, stunned. Sasuke was so confusing sometimes. One moment he had held on to Naruto for dear life and wept on his shoulder, the next he had run away away as fast as he could. His arm warmers were still sitting on the ground, along with the bloody kunai knife. Naruto picked it up and licked it. The blood was dried on, but it was still sweet on his tongue. _"Now Sasuke is a part of me forever"_, Thought Naruto, then he picked up the arm warmers and stuck them in his pocket with the knife. As he turned to head for home, a thought struck him. _"I have to train with Sasuke tomorrow. Oh. My. God."_


	2. Chapter 2

Sasuke didn't make it to training that day. He skipped out and took a bath instead. He sighed, sinking lower into the water. It was useless to run away, he knew he would have to see Naruto eventually. But he just didn't want it to be today. Sakura had stopped by that morining, and Kakashi had stopped by that afternoon. He had ignored them both. Sakura had at least had the courtesy to accept he wasn't going to answer the door and leave. Kakashi, on the other hand, had broken in and called out. Sasuke had told him he was sick, but Kakashi, master of excuses, had told him that if he was going to skip group practice, he would need a better excuse than that.

When he heard a soft knock on the door, Sasuke wondered who the hell it was this time. He was in a bit better mood, so he got out of the bath and wrapped a towel around his waist. When the knock came again, a soft 'tap, tap', asking, rather than demanding entrance, he answered the door. Whoever it was couldn't be as bad as Sakura or Kakashi.

Naruto nearly turned and ran when Sasuke answered the door in nothing but a towel. But he had to make things right between them, and it wasn't any more awkward dealing with Sasuke-in-a-towel than it was dealing with Sasuke fully-dressed. But when Sasuke said, "Naruto, your nose is bleeding, what happened?", Naruto decided 'awkward' didn't even begin to cover it.

"It's nothing, Sakura must have just hit me a little harder than usual." Lied Naruto, thinking sometimes retreat is not such a bad thing. But Naruto never goes back on his word, that's his ninja way. So when Sasuke stepped aside to let him in, he nervously stepped forward.

"I'm going to go get dressed, wait here." said Sasuke, and he walked into the bedroom to do so. '_What the hell is Naruto doing here?' _he thought. After that incident yesterday, he'd wanted to avoid the blonde. That was why he skipped training. He couldn't let Naruto get too close. Yesterday had been an accident, but Sasuke wouldn't be allowing an more incidents like that.

Sasuke came out of his room, dressed in a black sweater and jeans. He joined Naruto on the couch, irritated with the way things were going. He really wanted to cut himself now. Anything to escape from this situation, these emotions overwhelming him. He took a deep breath to steady himself, and then asked Naruto why he had come by.

"I came by to return these to you, and...and to see how you're doing. You seemed kind of..."Naruto shrugged, and offered Sasuke his arm warmers. "Kind of upset yesterday. Are you okay now?" Naruto knew he sounded like an idiot, but how did you help a friend who would never, ever tell you what's wrong, who would rather hurt himself? It didn't make any sense to Naruto, he couldn't understand it, but he was determined to try.

Sasuke took the arm warmers and declared he was fine. "I'm fine, Naruto. It's not your concern. It's nobody's problem but mine." Sasuke emphasized the nobody, to try to give Naruto the hint that this was private.

"But Sasuke, you were cutting yourself!" Naruto burst out, unable to remain silent on the subject any longer. "Why would you do that to yourself? Why would you _want _to suffer? If you have a problem, you're supposed to tell your friends about it! How do you think this makes me feel, knowing you'd rather cut yourself than talk to me? How do you think it would make Sakura feel? What's wrong with you?!" Naruto was standing by the end of his tirade, glaring at Sasuke, who was rising also.

"This," said Sasuke, "is my own way of dealing with things. It's none of _your _business, nor Sakura's, so just keep your big mouth shut about this, dobe. As far as you're concerned, it never happened." Sasuke walked to the door and opened it. "That said, I'll see you on the mission tomorrow."

Naruto walked to the door, paused to look at Sasuke. "I just wanted to help." He said, blue eyes filling with tears. "You don't have to be such an asshole about it!" Naruto sobbed, and started to run home. Sasuke was such a bastard sometimes!

Sasuke leaned his forehead against the door, fighting the urge to run after Naruto and apologize. In the end, he won; Sasuke was good at denying himself. But the urge to cut was overpowering, and he walked back into his room to get a knife. He could deny everything else, but he needed this to compensate.


	3. Chapter 3

Naruto stood hesitating outside Sasuke's door. He had run home crying, but when he had calmed down, he decided to go back to Sasuke's house. He couldn't let his friend keep hurting himself, no matter that he had been told to just forget about it. Naruto wasn't the sort of person to let his friends suffer. He was a lot more sensitive than most people would have given him credit for. He knocked, but there was no answer. He knocked again, but still no answer.

After knocking for a minute, Naruto opened the door and walked in. He was horrified by what he saw. Through the open bedroom door, he could see Sasuke unconcious on the bed, blood pooling under his wrists. Naruto ran forward, and tried to wake him. Sasuke was alive, but unconcious. He had cut his wrists pretty deeply, and lost a lot of blood. Naruto picked him up and carried him to the hospital.

_'I won't let Sasuke die!'_ran through Naruto's mind over and over as he ran full speed to the hospital, jumping from roof to roof. He fought down the panic that threatened to overwhelm him. Sasuke was so cold, so pale in his arms. He pulled his chakra into his feet, to run faster. By the time he got to the hospital he was exhausted, but he ran in, Sasuke limp in his arms. The medics took over from there.

Sasuke came to sometime in the very early morning, before dawn. Something heavy was lying on him, he shifted slightly, and heard a sigh. The night's events came back to him suddenly, and he remembered cutting himself until darkness took him. He realized at the same time that he wasn't at home, he was in the hospital. He looked down at his chest, someone was lying on him. He had just realized who it was when the sleeping figure murmered his name.

"Sasuke..." Naruto murmered in his sleep, slowly rising out of troubled black dreams. Someone laid a hand on his head, and spoke to him. "Dobe." No, Sasuke corrected himself, "Naruto." Naruto raised his sleepy head, gazing up at Sasuke with sleep filled eyes. He didn't move from his place, resting on Sasuke's chest. He wasn't awake enough to think about how he had gotten there.

Sasuke pulled Naruto closer, into an embrace. "Thank you." he whispered, cuddling the sleepy blonde. "You saved my life, didn't you? Go back to sleep," he whispered when Naruto tried to rise, "You look tired." Sasuke lay back down, holding Naruto against his chest. He fell asleep in moments.

Naruto was sure he was dreaming, when Sasuke pulled him close and thanked him for saving his life. When Sasuke fell back asleep, Naruto lay on his chest. So what if he was dreaming? Sometimes dreaming was sweeter than being awake.

Naruto was gone when Sasuke awakened again later that morning. He wondered if he had been dreaming. He looked down at his arms, covered in bandages. Someone had to have brought him in, so he decided it hadn't been a dream. What would he do now? He had weakened and given in to his desire to hold his teammate close. It couldn't continue, no matter how much his need for the other boy seemed to be growing. He had resisted for ages, why couldn't he seem to resist anymore?


	4. Chapter 4

Naruto had been reluctant to leave the hospital when Kakashi had wakened him in the morning. He had informed Naruto that just because Sasuke was getting out of the mission today didn't mean he was, too. They would just have to go without him.

_'Why would Sasuke cut himself?'_ Naruto couldn't seem to find the answer to this question. He followed Sakura and Kakashi through the empty motions of their mission. Sakura was being really irritable, since Kakashi had told her that Sasuke was still sick and wouldn't be joining them on the mission. She took off for Sasuke's house after the mission, not wasting a second.

Naruto wandered through Konoha, unconciously heading towards the hospital. When he had first arrived, one of the medics had told him they would have to keep Sasuke under surveillence for at least three days, to check on his mental state, or some such. So even though he was still lost and confused, he walked up to Sasuke's room.

Sasuke stood by the window, wearing white, for a change. _'He's so pale'_, was all Naruto could think as he saw him. _'Whiter than his shirt. He's so beautiful.'_ Naruto shook his head to clear it of that last thought. He was a _guy_, guys didn't think other guys were attractive. Did they?

Sasuke gazed at the window, watching Naruto's reflection. He had seen the dobe approaching the hospital, looking worried. _'Not,'_ he thought, _'that I care. I care so much it hurts to breath. If he wants to worry then he can. Does he know how cute he is, when he looks troubled like that? NO! I can't think that way, I have to act normal!' _ Sasuke turned around as he thought the last, and looked at his teammate.

Naruto almost reached out when Sasuke turned around. He looked so sad, Naruto wanted to run forward and kiss him until he couldn't think of anything else. _'Where did that come from?'_ wondered Naruto, alarmed. _'I want to kiss him? No no, I can't want that.'_

"What are you doing here, dobe? Fucked up your mission already?" Sasuke tried a smirk, found he couldn't manage it when Naruto was staring at him so intensely. He walked over to his bed and sat down with a sigh. "I'm fine, you don't have to come visit me, you know." It was as close to saying he was grateful as Sasuke could come.

Naruto walked over and sat next to Sasuke, maybe a little closer than he would have normally, but it didn't really matter. "I know, but I was worried. They said that if I had been even a few minutes later, I wouldn't have made it in time." Naruto suddenly felt like crying as he said that. Instead, he just wrapped his arms around Sasuke, and held him close. "I was so afraid."

It had been hardly more than a whisper, but Sasuke had caught it. Naruto had been afraid for him. It was such a sweet declaration, Sasuke didn't have the heart to push Naruto away after that. Maybe he didn't want to. He knew it would be wrong to let himself get close to anyone, but where Naruto was concerned, he couldn't seem to stop himself anymore. He put his arms around his savior's waist, and turned to lay his head on his shoulder.

Naruto felt his heart skip a beat when Sasuke put his hands on him. It was so confusing, of all the people he might have fallen in love with, he wound up falling for Sasuke. Naruto didn't know what he would do about it. Sasuke would never return those feelings, and anyway, it would be wrong to tell him when he was weak, like he was now. It would be taking advantage, and it would be wrong. Naruto didn't hesitate to respond, however, when Sasuke kissed his neck.

Sasuke couldn't stand it anymore, being so close to Naruto's exposed neck. One little kiss couldn't possibly hurt, he decided. When Naruto shifted slightly, exposing more of his neck, Sasuke didn't let the opportunity pass him by. He had barely brushed the blonde's neck with his lips when he felt his head jerked back by his hair. His protest didn't have time to escape before Naruto's lips covered his own.

_'His lips are so soft..._ was Naruto's last coherent thought as his lips connected with Sasuke's for the second time. Then he busied himself with the task at hand. He nipped at Sasuke's lower lip, than soothed it with his tongue. Then he repeated the process with Sasuke's upper lip. It wasn't long before Sasuke gave him the same treatment. He slid his tongue along Sasuke's lips, asking to be let in. Sasuke readily complied, sliding his tongue over Naruto's, pulling him even closer.

Sasuke knew he had to stop this. It was wrong to lead Naruto on, especially after he had been so concerned about him. But, maybe in a minute, or a year, or an eternity. He just had to have a little more before this would be taken away. He pushed weakly at Naruto's chest, this had to stop soon or he'd never be able to stop it. His arm was roughly pinned to the bed by the blonde, the rest of him following it. He whimpered, his arms were still sore.

Naruto had gotten a little carried away. He hadn't meant to get rough with Sasuke like that, hadn't meant to flatten him into the mattress, and he most certainly didn't mean to slide his hand up under Sasuke's shirt to further explore that pale body. But when Sasuke whimpered, he immediately wanted to hear it again. All his good intentions were thrown out the window.

Sasuke struggled a little when Naruto sat back and started pulling Sasuke's shirt off. It didn't do him much good, the shirt came off and he wound up pinned to the mattress again, with Naruto's hands and mouth roaming his chest. He moaned a little, this was arousing beyond belief. He struggled to sit up, if this went on he'd never be able to live without it again.

Naruto couldn't seem to stop himself. Every time Sasuke moaned or struggled, it gave him a new thrill, and he wanted it again. He wanted to hear Sasuke say his name, wanted him to say it in a way he never had before. He was sliding his hands down Sasuke's hips, intending to get rid of his pants as well, when someone lifted him off of Sasuke and into the air. He looked down at Sasuke, who was flushed and breathing heavily, before turning to see just who it was he was going to have to kill.

********


	5. Chapter 5

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Ch. 5

Kakashi sighed as Naruto radiated blooodlust at him. He knew how frustrating it was to be interrupted in the middle of something. He'd lost count of how many times Naruto had interrupted himself and Iruka, though the boy was quite oblivious to this fact. Iruka had said it would bother Naruto to think his sensei did such things, so Kakashi had always taken off whenever Naruto came over, barely knocking before entering. But however much Kakashi may have sympathised with the boys, he didn't let on.

"Naruto, if you keep that up, you'll get yourself into trouble. The hospital is not the place for this kind of thing." He smiled, though only his eye was visible. "And Sasuke, they're letting you out tomorrow, I expect you to show up at training." That said, he dropped Naruto onto the floor and pulled out his novel. "Oh, and Sakura-chan was going to stop by. She'll be here in a little while."

As Kakashi walked out, Naruto walked over and opened the window. He looked back at Sasuke, who was putting his shirt on. "Are you coming? You can hang out at my place, unless you want to deal with her crying and asking what happened to you." Naruto stood on the windowsill, hand outstretched.

Sasuke couldn't seem to think clearly. He didn't think going home with Naruto was the smartest thing to do, but he would rather die than have to deal with Sakura just now; not when he was still flushed from having Naruto's lips on his. He got up and took Naruto's hand, and they walked down the hospital wall like that.

Naruto could hear Sakura panicking above him when he was about halfway down the building, and he couldn't help but grin over at Sasuke. Sasuke, to his surprise and pleasure, laughed. It was so cute, Naruto lost his focus for a minute, and Sasuke had to catch him to keep him from falling off the building. Naruto laughed into Sasuke's chest, and had a brilliant idea. "Sasuke, let's go on a date! We can get some ramen!"

"Our first date is **not** going to be at the ramen shop, dobe." Sasuke cursed himself as soon as he said it. Dating Naruto was definately not on his to do list, and the way he said that implied they would be going on more than one. Even though he wanted to. _'Why the hell not? One date,'_ he reasoned, _'couldn't possibly hurt.'_

Naruto grinned like a fool, so what if he wasn't getting ramen? Just now, he had an appetite for something else anyway. "So, if you don't want to go to the ramen shop, do you want to come home with me? Sakura will be running out of the hospital to look for you any minute. She'll never think to check my apartment." Naruto said this with his foxiest grin as they reached the ground.

Sasuke blushed when he saw Naruto's rather...suggestive...grin, but he saw the wisdom in what he was saying. "Alright, dobe, just promise you'll pick up something for dinner that isn't ramen."


	6. Chapter 6

**Ch. 6**

Naruto's apartment was sparse, cheaply and simply furnished. There was, Sasuke noted, only one chair at the table. He watched as Naruto set the bags of takeout on the table, and decided to inform Naruto of this fact. "Dobe, you're going to have to look into getting another chair. Where do your guests sit?"

Naruto laughed, with an ease Sasuke envied. Laughing didn't come easily to him anymore. "I don't have people over to eat, everyone knows I only eat ramen. Anyway, we can eat on the couch." _'Or in bed.'_ Naruto thought the last bit, and he grinned.

Sasuke saw Naruto grin a moment after he finished speaking, and guessed his thoughts immediatly. He almost grinned himself, but stopped at the last minute. Sasuke, even when he's weak, tired, hungry, and horny, is still Sasuke.

"Alright dobe, on the couch then. " Sasuke grabbed his dinner from the bags and settled down on the couch to eat. The kitsune plopped down onceremoniously beside him and began to eat, pausing from time to time to watch Sasuke as he ate.

Sasuke ate his dinner slowly, watching Naruto watch him. When he was finished, Naruto(who had already finished eating) cleared up the remnants and then walked out of sight into his bedroom. He re-emerged with his radio. He turned it on, and what came out surprised Sasuke.

Naruto had put in his favorite cd for just hanging out, a gift from Iruka-sensei. It was by a woman called 'Tracy Chapman'. Great for relaxing, or seducing a reluctant Sasuke, at least he figured it would work for that, and he didn't have much else that was soothing. His own tastes tended to run towards punk-rock. He ditched his jacket on the table with the stereo and rejoined Sasuke on the couch.

"Naruto," Sasuke asked, "You like Tracy Chapman?" Naruto grinned. "It was a gift from Iruka-sensei. You like it?" Naruto got up and switched it to track 5, his favorite song on this album. "This one's my favorite."

_Done so many things wrong, I don't know if I can do right...Oh I, Oh I, Done so many things wrong, I don't know if I can do right..._

Sasuke got up and walked over to Naruto. "It's my favorite too." With that he grabbed Naruto and pulled him into a slow dance.

_At this point in my life, I've done so many things wrong, don't know if I can do right. Put your trust in me, hope I won't let you down, if you give me a chance, I'll try..._

Naruto leaned into Sasuke and danced with him around his apartment. Sasuke was a very graceful dancer, it surprised Naruto. Someone so skilled in battle, also so skilled at something as lovely as dancing. It seemed...Naruto wasn't sure of the word exactly, but figured that it was ironic.

Sasuke enjoyed the way the blonde's compact little body moved against his own. He whirled the smaller boy out into a turn and back into his arms, then grinned down at him. The dobe moved easily wherever he was led, as graceful as a cat. An impression the whisker markings on his cheeks added to. Sasuke grinned to himself, who would have thought that the loud mouthed, clumsy, #1 knucklehead ninja was a graceful dancer?


End file.
